Introduction
1. I am delighted to be at the Social Work Academia-Practice Symposium 2026 today. All of you as practitioners, educators, researchers, even policy makers. We are here to partner and reflect our shared commitment to strengthen Singapore’s social work ecosystem.
2 A resilient social service sector is one built upon collective wisdom, where we lend our diverse expertise to anticipate challenges and co-create solutions for tomorrow’s needs. This year’s theme, “Reimagining Social Work Ecosystems”, speaks directly to this imperative. We must not merely respond to change, but instead actively shape the transformation we envision.
3 Let me share how we can achieve this transformation through the 3Cs:
Collaboration Creates Collective Impact
4. The first C is collaboration – as Professor Robbie Goh mentioned earlier, collaboration with our partners to uplift the families we serve. True excellence in social work emerges from a collaborative spirit that brings together diverse expertise across sectors, thereby amplifying our impact.
5. As a sector, we must first ensure that we are well equipped to meet emerging challenges through professional development and lifelong learning. MSF’s Professional Services Group has therefore established the Supervision Nexus recently. This is a dedicated professional network developing supervision standards and practices across MSF and the broader social service sector.
6. When our sector is strong, we will then be able to pursue meaningful collaborations across disciplines and with partners across different sectors. Social challenges today have grown increasingly complex. By adopting a systems approach, we are able to move beyond quick fixes to address root causes and to develop sustainable whole-of-society solutions.
a. Let me give you one example – Beyond The Label initiative co-led by NCSS and Touch Community Services. The team partnered with corporate organisations, including CapitaLand, Scoot and Dow Chemical Pacific, to assess the needs of their employees and deliver targeted mental health and wellness programmes for staff well-being, reaching 2,485 employees in FY2025.
b. Through partnerships between the social service sector and various corporates, we were able to support staff well-being, and hopefully strengthen family relationships as well.
7. I am also heartened to see collaborations at the community level, such as Allkin’s partnerships with corporates and community, that embody this same spirit.
a. The Allkin-Dr Vasoo Community Innovation Award launched in 2024 recognises service users as collaborators and not just as recipients – and has supported more than 15 ground-up collaborative projects.
b. Allkin also formalised their collaboration with GP+ Co-operative in the northeast region in December last year, for Allkin’s social workers to refer clients for appropriate medical care, and for GPs to refer patients to Allkin for follow-up care, and this may include caregiver support, mental health services, or emotional or psychological support.
8. With such collaborations across the sector and beyond, we can continue to use our unique strengths and collective wisdom to uplift those around us.
Cooperating with Regional and International Counterparts in Shared Priority Areas
9. Let me now move to the second C – cooperation with regional and international counterparts in shared priority areas. Our challenges are not unique. Across the region and globally, social service professionals face similar issues, including supporting families in meeting their diverse needs and integrating technology effectively into their practice.
10. We see tremendous opportunities for cooperation with our regional and international counterparts. We recently embarked on one such initiative involving our regional neighbours: Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines. The Capability Exchange Programme was launched last month to create opportunities for learning and exchanges among government officials and practitioners from the region. This programme helps establish strong networks and fosters cross-sharing of evidence-based principles to benefit young children and families. Our neighbours were keen to learn from us – our experience of setting up the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and the KidSTART programme, and we similarly want to learn from their own experiences.
11. Beyond this, our participation in international forums and professional networks ensures that Singapore's social work sector remains connected to global developments while contributing our unique perspectives and innovations to benefit the broader international community. This effort by Allkin and SUSS in bringing local and international counterparts together at this symposium is a prime example of ensuring that we continue to exchange best practices, and that our own practice remains relevant and responsive to emerging needs. Later this year, MSF and SUSS will co-organise the biennial Asian Family Conference that brings together policymakers, practitioners and academics from Asia to discuss emerging trends, policies and practices in supporting and strengthening Asian families.
Co-creating to Develop Innovations of Tomorrow
12. The last C is co-creation. While technology especially Artificial Intelligence can seem rather daunting, it also offers immense opportunities to enhance our social work practice, and design environments and solutions that empower and strengthen families.
13. Let me be clear – we are not replacing the human touch that defines this profession. Instead, we want to harness technology to better the quality of life of both the professionals and the clients we serve.
14. Since early 2025, we have provided eligible Social Service Agencies (SSAs) with free access to this application called Scribe – a multilingual transcription and summarisation tool and AI tool by Open Government Products. What Scribe does is it converts conversations into structured case notes, streamlining documentation. Therefore, by reducing manual documentation, Scribe frees up social workers’ time and energy to focus on what matters most – being fully present when listening to a struggling parent, engaging a child who needs attention, or conducting home visits. To date, 106 SSAs are using this tool.
15. The rapidly evolving digital landscape represents both a challenge and an opportunity: but to become architects of a future-ready social work ecosystem where innovation amplifies compassion, where digital tools co-created with partners extend our reach without diminishing our human touch, and where we use technology as a bridge to deeper, more meaningful relationships with those we serve, we must do the first two points I mentioned earlier – collaborate and cooperate with others.
Conclusion
16. In conclusion, I believe Better Starts with Us. When we embody collective responsibility and shared ownership, we will be able to achieve far better outcomes, both for our sector and for our families. Which is why MSF will soon launch a campaign “Better Starts with Us”, because at MSF, we believe that it is through this shared commitment that each of us, we are not just building a strong and united society, but a Singapore that is a great place for all families to achieve their goals and aspirations.
17. I encourage you to use this symposium to engage deeply in conversations, share your wisdom openly, and consider how partnerships forged here can continue beyond today. Look not only to work with those around us but also to collaborate with organisations across our borders. The future we are building together is one where social work leadership spans across sectors, where our workforce is continuously supported, and where technology enhances human connection.
18. I wish all of you a meaningful and enriching symposium ahead. Thank you.